I am in the cooking mode today and thought I would share what I like to put
on my table at least once a week. SOUP!
Soup is one of the most economical meals you can make, and the food
budget is quite often one of the largest expenses in the home. For those
that garden, the produce you grow can save a lot on your food budget, but
for those of us who cannot grow much due to space limitations or those
who don't grow anything, we must buy everything we eat.
Most often I use no recipe for soup as I make a typical vegetable soup with
leftovers and add in anything else I may have on hand. Usually I start with
leftover meat and broth, it can be anything from pot roast, chicken, ham,
sausage to even hamburger. Lots of people like fish also. I typically freeze
leftover meat and broth if not using it immediately, just so we don't get tired
of the same taste day after day. So in the pot goes the meat cut small and
the broth or water with broth mix. Then I add any dried beans or peas that
may need a longer cooking time. Next is any root vegetables like fresh
carrots, potatoes, onions and such that will also need a little longer
cooking. Closer to the end I add any leftover cooked vegetables I may
have in the refrigerator that need using up, canned vegetables, herbs and
spices to taste.
Sometimes it is just a few ingredients, sometimes a lot. If I don't have much
in the pot and need to fill it out, I'll add barley. If it needs thickening I'll add
a little oatmeal and on occasion I have used instant potatoes. No broth? I
have started soup with tomato juice and tomato sauce before. Works well
if you are vegetarian as well.
This week's pot had beef, beef broth, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, lentils,
barley, tomatoes and jalapenos. I like lentils as they cook faster than other
legumes. I have a huge pot and there is just me in the house this week so today I am canning the rest in pint jars for future use.
Soup - one of the easiest dishes to cook, one of the healthiest dishes to eat,
one of the tastiest dishes to serve
Soup has been a basic food since time immemorial.
Our green note for today is to make your own vegetable broth out of all
kinds of vegetable pieces you might normally throw out. To water, add carrot
ends and peels, celery trimmings, onion ends, cabbage and spinach leaves,
in short any vegetable matter that is clean but not what you want on your
plate. Boil this and let it reduce, you can add herbs and spices near the end,
garlic also. Then strain and freeze or can for later use. Either add the strained leavings to the compost pile or bury in the flower bed and it will add to the nutrients in the soil.
I am in the cooking mode today and thought I would share what I like to put
on my table at least once a week. SOUP!
Soup is one of the most economical meals you can make, and the food
budget is quite often one of the largest expenses in the home. For those
that garden, the produce you grow can save a lot on your food budget, but
for those of us who cannot grow much due to space limitations or those
who don't grow anything, we must buy everything we eat.
Most often I use no recipe for soup as I make a typical vegetable soup with
leftovers and add in anything else I may have on hand. Usually I start with
leftover meat and broth, it can be anything from pot roast, chicken, ham,
sausage to even hamburger. Lots of people like fish also. I typically freeze
leftover meat and broth if not using it immediately, just so we don't get tired
of the same taste day after day. So in the pot goes the meat cut small and
the broth or water with broth mix. Then I add any dried beans or peas that
may need a longer cooking time. Next is any root vegetables like fresh
carrots, potatoes, onions and such that will also need a little longer
cooking. Closer to the end I add any leftover cooked vegetables I may
have in the refrigerator that need using up, canned vegetables, herbs and
spices to taste.
Sometimes it is just a few ingredients, sometimes a lot. If I don't have much
in the pot and need to fill it out, I'll add barley. If it needs thickening I'll add
a little oatmeal and on occasion I have used instant potatoes. No broth? I
have started soup with tomato juice and tomato sauce before. Works well
if you are vegetarian as well.
This week's pot had beef, beef broth, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, lentils,
barley, tomatoes and jalapenos. I like lentils as they cook faster than other
legumes. I have a huge pot and there is just me in the house this week so today I am canning the rest in pint jars for future use.
Soup - one of the easiest dishes to cook, one of the healthiest dishes to eat,
one of the tastiest dishes to serve
Soup has been a basic food since time immemorial.
Our green note for today is to make your own vegetable broth out of all
kinds of vegetable pieces you might normally throw out. To water, add carrot
ends and peels, celery trimmings, onion ends, cabbage and spinach leaves,
in short any vegetable matter that is clean but not what you want on your
plate. Boil this and let it reduce, you can add herbs and spices near the end,
garlic also. Then strain and freeze or can for later use. Either add the strained leavings to the compost pile or bury in the flower bed and it will add to the nutrients in the soil.
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